In less than 100 words, what is your idea?:
I have established a social enterprise. I would like it to become to greenhouse gas emissions what "weight watchers" is to adipose.
eg - a member driven enterprise prviding support, advice, social networks, products & services to individuals & families who would like to reduce their environmetal impacts but do not know how.
What is the social need or challenge your idea could address?:
Looking at ways to overcome gaps in knowledge & motivaton which prevent Australians from reducing their GHGs.
What’s really new about your idea?:
Adaption of existing concepts and frameworks (from the weight loss sector) & applying them to a new issue.
Re: Carbon Counters - the weight watchers of GHG emissions
I'm not convinced of the value of carbon counters. Like diet "points" counting, it only works for a subset of the population. I'd greatly prefer to see a more proactive approach - governments (state & local in particular) making consultancy services available to residents to provide advice on greening their homes and engaging directly with home builders on "out of the box" approaches for making homes and business premises more energy efficient.
Re: Carbon Counters - the weight watchers of GHG emissions
Hi Rowan - There seem to be masses of Carbon Counters currently on the web. Can you tell us where your idea is different, better for some users or distinctive in some way?
Re: Carbon Counters - the weight watchers of GHG emissions
There are some folks at http://www.energycoop.com.au doing related things. Maybe you could have a chat with them and see what happens?
Did you know that there's been a recent discussion on the new power meters that are being rolled out by the electricity companies? The data collected by the companies is only going back to the companies. There were a bunch of technologists who argued that the data should be available to the household, so that they could monitor their own usage, but I think the idea was squashed. Perhaps you could investigate that, and continue to lobby for access to that data.